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ELECTRIGAL RAILWAY AND LOGOM TIVBI No. 288,513. 7 Patented Nov. 13, 1883.

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W. M. THOMAS.

ELECTRICAL RAILWAY Am) .LOGOMOTIVE. No. 288,513. Patented Nov. 13, 1883.

(No Model.) 3fsheets-$het .3.

yw; MQT I-IOMAS I ELEGTRIQALRAILWAY AND LOGOVMOTIVE. No. 288,513. T PatentedN0v. 13, 1883.

7 UNITED STATES PATENT Orrion.

WI L AM THOMAS, on CINCINNATI, OHIO, nssionon or ONE'HALF TO SAMUEL w. SKINNER, on SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY AND LOCOMOTIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 288,513, dated November 13, 188.3.

Applicntion filcd November 6,1882. (No model.)

of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Locomotives, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements indevices for placing an electro-locomotive in communication with a stationary generator, and for controllingthe speed and direction of travel of such locomotiveiti In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elev'ationof el'ectro-motive machinery embodying my improvements, a portion of the electric-conductor housing being broken away. Fig. 2 is atransverse section of: the conductor to a larger Scale, together with a portion of the running conductor. Fig. 3 is a still larger transverse section of the electric conductor and housing. Fig. i is an under side View, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view, of

my running or rolling conductor. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the running conductor. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a side and an end elevation of that form of my electric conductor which is located above the locomotive. Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrammatic representations to illustrate my mode of connecting the electro-locomotive with the conductor, and my means for control of the speed and direction of travel.

A may represent a common tramway or railway.

B represents my electro-locomotive, whose electromagnetic motor Y comprises one or more field-magnets, 1, and revolving armatures a, of the represented on anycustomary or suitable form.

\Vires O C from the electrolocomotive communicate with a peculiarly-constructed caster, D, called the duplex runner, in which springs D D press, respectively, upon two insulated segments, E" E, which constitute the shank of my said runner. Pivoted to the respective segments are two cheeks, F F held apart .by brace f, of insulating material, and which constitute the j ournal-bearing of the axle G of my runner-wheel, composed of two similar disks, H H", with charmferededges h h, and being insulated from each other and from the axle.

The above-described runner D is capable of both horizontal rotation and vertical oscilla' tion about a perpendicular stud, I. A circular yoke, J, that depends rigidly from the 10- comotive-bed, SHITOLllldS and supports the lower end of stud I.

It will be seen that when the runner is deilected to one'or the other side of a line parallel with the track the cheeks F F" are forced up the inclined sides of the yoke J, whence the gravity of the runner itself will impart to it a constant tendency to resume a position of parallelism with the track.

The runner rests by its chamfered surfaces h h on my electric conductor K, which consists of two continuous rods or wires, K K that constitute tlieconduits of the outgoing and returning currents respectively, and are, with that object, in electrical communication with the positive and negative sides, respectively, of whatever generator of current is employed. Said Wires K K are supported in housing L, composed of two plates, L L, in form of annular segments, to which said wires are fastened at proper intervals by means of bolts M, that screw into vulcanite or other insulating-thimbles, N, which thimbles either Screw into the wires, as shown, or upon projections therefrom. The plates L I. are .separated at top by an opening, Z, whichpermits the traverse of the runner-wheel, and below by an opening, 1, for escape of water and other intruding matters.

The housing L is supported at proper distances, and the plates L L and conductor wire K K are held the proper distance apart by steps or chairs 0, to which said plates are secured by bolts P. These chairs are spiked or bolted to the cross-ties Q of the railwaytrack.

WVhile preferably located under ground, or on the surface of the ground, as above described, such a system of conductors may be arranged overhead, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which the conductor-wires K K are shown supported in a yoke, R, attached to post S. In this overhead form the runner consists of two wheels, of which each is composed of two insulated disks, H H, each disk being circumferentially scored or channeled, as at h, and each wheel journaled, respectively, in frames T T that are insulated from one another and constitute portions of the electric circuit. The runnerwheels are retained intheir proper position above the track by a counter-balance, 3, made fast to the bottom of the yoke U.

Figs. 8 and 9are diagrammatic representations in which the electrical elements of the locomotive are, for convenience of illustration, disposed .in asingle vertical plane transverse to the direction of travel. As illustrated in this diagram, wire K connectedwith the positive pole of the generator, has electrical connection by disk H through the several parts of the hanger previously described, and wire G with the field-magnets of the motor Y. Thence the circuit is through wire 0*" to binding-post X, and thence to the post of switch Z, whence-brushes I) b and wires 0 0 connect with the commutator-brushes of the motor. Returning, the circuit is through bindingpost of the switch to post X and thence to the opposite side of the hanger and the insulated disk H to the wire K connected with the:negative pole of the generator. The brush-connections b 2), Figs. 1, 8, and 9, directing the current in one or the other direction through the armature a, determine its -direction of rotation, and, consequently, the direction of travel, or suspend motion altogether, according to the position given to the switch, in the usual manner of working electrical switches.

To enable regulation of the speed of the lomotive, there is interposed in one of the fieldwires a rheostat, 5, of the representedor any suitable construction.

The armature a is mechanically connected eeaaaa with the running-gear c of the electro-locomotive by a belt, (I, or other suitable mechanical'transmitter.

It is apparent that the above-described electrical conductor, whether overhead or underground, is exempt from liability either to receive injury from or to impart injury to eX- traneous objects.

I claim herein as new and of my invention- 1. An electrical conductor composed of two parallel wires respectively in communication with the opposite poles of a generator of electric currents, and having insulated attachment within housing L, having openings land Z, as and for the objects designated.

2. The rolling conductor, whose wheel is composed of two parallel metallic disks with an interposed washer of vulcanite or other non-conducting material, the respective disks having contact with the respective tracks of the outgoing and returning generator currents on the one hand and with the carriers of the ingoing and returning motor-currents on the other hand, substantially as set forth.

3. In an eleetro-locomotive for use with two parallel wires, K K, for the outgoing and returningmurrents, respectively, the rolling eonductor consisting of members as follows-to wit, springs D D having electrical communication with the field-magnet, segments E? E, stud I, cheeks F F, axle G, and insulated chamfered disks H" 11*.

4. In combination with the rolling conductor D, the rigid yoke J, having inclined faces adapted to impart to the runner atendency to parallelism with the track, as set forth.

In testimony of which inventionI hereunto set my hand.

XVILLIAM M. THOMAS. Attest:

GEo. H. KNIGHT, SAML. S. CARPENTER. 

